Bargnani played his first game of the season like he played the first 13 of last year. Grabbing rebounds, getting blocks, playing man D. He missed a few help side rotations, but Indiana is a good team. If he plays like this every night, Raptors are on their way.

Bargnani played his first game of the season like he played the first 13 of last year. Grabbing rebounds, getting blocks, playing man D. He missed a few help side rotations, but Indiana is a good team. If he plays like this every night, Raptors are on their way.

He had 3 rebounds, and was covering West 1 on 1 for a large portion of the 4th quarter. He could have done a lot better.

Bargnani played his first game of the season like he played the first 13 of last year. Grabbing rebounds, getting blocks, playing man D. He missed a few help side rotations, but Indiana is a good team. If he plays like this every night, Raptors are on their way.

This game in no way resembled the 13 game Bargnani we witnessed last year.

If he plays like this every night I hope Casey has the brass to stick him on the bench.

Bargnani played his first game of the season like he played the first 13 of last year. Grabbing rebounds, getting blocks, playing man D. He missed a few help side rotations, but Indiana is a good team. If he plays like this every night, Raptors are on their way.

Yeah, not sure if we watched the same game, Puffer. Bargnani was awful last night. His offense was decent in the 1st, but his help defense was atrocious. From the 2nd quarter on, his man defense was better (until he got torched by West in the 4th), his help defense was still non-existent, and his jumper assumed the game ended at 7:30pm. We'll be lucky to win 25 games unless he turns things around fast.

I thought Bargnani's 1st quarter and most of his man-defense was solid. After coming back into the game in the 2nd quarter, it was clear that the flu had zapped his energy, as he had absolutely no legs under him. I didn't understand why Casey continued to ride him, when it was clear that he was gassed. Once they had the big lead, they should have brought Gray in for defensive reasons. I also get so frustrated when he starts out games scoring well inside, only to have plays called for him to take stupid long-range jumpers. He was great at getting both Hibbert and West to commit 3 fouls each, but then they stopped feeding him down low.... made absolutely no sense to me.

Bargnani is far from my biggest concern on this team though. Our wings are horrendous. DeRozan and Fields should be backups, Anderson was good defensively (but invisible offensively) and Ross was a rookie deer-in-the-headlights. Amir falling in love with long-range 2's is also a cause for concern. Bargnani will be fine once his energy is back.

This game in no way resembled the 13 game Bargnani we witnessed last year....

Probably overzealous of me, but the first quarter kind of was sticking in my head. He was running up on offence and back on defence, picked up all of his rebounds (probably) and I also saw a couple of blocks. Loved to see him going inside. But as has been mentioned, he petered out in the third and fourth. I agree it can probably be put down to the flu.

Have to see what he looks like on Saturday. I think he will come out hard again but will maintain it. I believe he feels he has something to prove and has memories of all the people going "OMG!" for the first few weeks last year. I bet he wants that feeling back.

As for West abusing him, West looked like he would have abused almost anybody last night. Again, I will be watching his D in the next few games. I thought he was moving well, and playing effective help in the 1st quarter. I remember thinking how well he and JV were operating on D together. the engineered some nice turnovers/steals.